Kolkata gearing up for big race

The Royal Calcutta Turf Club is gearing up to host the biggest event of the season with the Indian Turf Invitation Cup being the highlight of the coming weekend.

This will be one of the richest two days in the annals of Indian racing and adding to it will be the fact that for the the first time, the format of the Indian Turf Invitation Cup is being changed. The event was for four-year-old horses till last year but this time, it will be open to older horses as well.

As has always been the case, four Grade I races — The Oasis Star Sprinters’ Cup (Grade I), The Stayers Cup (Grade I), The Indian Turf Invitation Cup (Grade I) and The Maj P K Mehra Memorial Super Mile Cup (Grade I) — will showpiece the weekend.

The Grade III Suresh Mahindra Multi-Million Trophy makes it a total of Five Graded Races. Adding further gloss are the thirteen supporting events.

The total stake money on offer works out to Rs 3.77 crore, including the trophy value.  There will be a total of 18 Races with 199 horses in the fray, according to RCTC Chairman Deepak Khaitan.
Last year’s Invitation Cup, the Golden Jubilee edition, was held in Bangalore with In The Spotlight emerging victorious.